24 March 2025 - French scientist denied entry to the US after border control phone search
French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found
Robert Mackey (The Guardian, 19/03/2025)
A French scientist was denied entry to the US this month after immigration officers at an airport searched his phone and found messages in which he had expressed criticism of the Trump administration, said a French minister.
Yes, border control can go through your phone. Here's what travelers should know.
Kathleen Wong (US Today, 22/03/2025)
A recent string of legal U.S. residents being detained or deported following information found on their cell phones is worrying some travelers they'll be stopped when traveling through the country's border.
Is it safe to travel with your phone right now?
Gaby Del Valle (The Verge, 23/03/2025)
In recent weeks, airport Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have drawn public outcry for denying travelers US entry based on searches of their phones. A doctor on an H-1B visa was deported to Lebanon after CBP found “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah leaders. A French scientist was turned away after a device search unearthed messages criticizing the Trump administration’s cuts to research programs, which officers said “conveyed hatred of Trump” and “could be qualified as terrorism.” As the administration ratchets up pressure to turn away even legal immigrants, its justifications are becoming thinner and thinner — but travelers can still benefit from knowing what are supposed to be their legal rights.
Border Patrol Checking US Visitors' Phones, Social Media: Is It Legal?
Dan Gooding (Newsweek, 20/03/2025)
More visitors to the United States are having their electronic devices and social media accounts checked when arriving at the border, raising questions about the legality of such a move. On Wednesday, it was reported a French scientist was denied entry to Houston after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers found messages criticizing President Donald Trump's cuts to science funding. Photos on another visa holder's phone allegedly showing support for Hezbollah saw her denied reentry into the U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection patch. Wikipedia, Public domain.
